Patient education after inguinal hernia surgery did not differ from routine information for pain at rest at 7 days

QUESTION

In patients having surgery for inguinal hernia, does postoperative patient education at discharge and a follow-up telephone
call reduce pain up to 1 week after surgery?

METHODS

Design:

randomised controlled trial.

Allocation:

{concealed}.*

Blinding:

blinded (data entry operators and data analysts).

Follow-up period:

1, 3, and 7 days after surgery.

Setting:

a hospital in Denmark.

Patients:

234 patients >18 years of age having elective, unilateral inguinal hernia surgery. Exclusion criteria were planned laparoscopic
or bilateral surgery and inability to complete a pain diary or communicate in Danish.